


altered conquest

by leftoveramericano



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (or more like attempt to fluff), Ambiguous/Open Ending, Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Post-Timeskip, Reconciliation, Reunions, Softened Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26049511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leftoveramericano/pseuds/leftoveramericano
Summary: Kunimi accidentally encountered Kageyama a little over three months after their middle school reunion where Kageyama had formally reconciled with everyone in the team.It should’ve been over, Kunimi thinks, but then Kageyama approaches him and the rest takes place in their first official match against each other.
Relationships: Kageyama Tobio & Kunimi Akira, Kageyama Tobio/Kunimi Akira
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	altered conquest

**Author's Note:**

> Based off this excerpt from Richard Siken’s _Wishbone_ : “This way you still owe me, and that’s as good as anything.” and the fact that reconciliation between Kageyama, Kunimi, and Kindaichi is canon. 
> 
> P.S. Yes, pretty sure the canon reconciliation depicted in chapter 401 isn’t the first one to happen.

The thing about adulting is that, you really don’t realise you _are_ an adult when you got called into the office of your faculty academic affairs and have them inform you about several administrative inquiries you need to complete and comply to your future workplace, including possible schedule for the _‘mandatory’_ interview and training for the newcomers. _‘Mandatory’_ because you got the luck on your shoulders for already securing a position in adequately known private bank prior your official graduation, despite of the hassle of having to do several sacrifices mainly on societal and non-academic activities, hence interview is done to just simply tick off one of the recruitment processes manual.

And that is what adulting is to Kunimi — the inability to say ‘no’ over the weekend even though it’s supposed to be his leisure time, _his rights_. He himself is aware of how such ethic is _supposedly_ enforced in the workplace, so how the hell did his faculty building still have quite number of staff and even a higher-up such as vice dean _working_ on Saturday?

Later on Kunimi takes notes how adulting _also_ means most of work ethics that his university supervisor, advisor, and professors have been telling him mostly just exist to simply add extra pages on the guidance book to make it appeal more credible and underlining the illusive esteemed and humane imposition.

 _Ah_ , scratch off all the wreathing description about ‘adulting’ which his brain has been dissecting. Generally, adulting dictates the impossibility to prevent sacrifices. At least that’s what and how it is for Kunimi in instance and he hasn’t even graduated, _god dammit_.

But it would be hypocrite of him to say that he dislikes it, let alone harbouring detestation. After all, Kunimi is one of the very, _very_ few lucky ones to have signed binding work contract of 2 years not long after acing his thesis defence, while a lot of others from his batch is still struggling to look for job. Kunimi would sometimes spot several small groups of them gathering around in-campus café crosschecking every vacancies that are available in any possible platforms they can access. Seeing such sight, even more frequently past defences month, ensures him that he has no regrets of having to extremely cut down his already normally fair gaming session, refrain himself from engaging in committed relationship once he was in his 3rd year, spending more and most time indoors to study _months_ prior any exams, and holding back from giving self-reward out of satisfaction and instead spending the money on books or external digital courses he subscribed to monthly especially after his thesis proposal was accepted.

Kunimi does not regret every single one of it, _except_ for the fact that he had to give up playing in his university volleyball club over the last semester of his sophomore year. It was just too soon when his supervisor approached him as he was about to attend his evening practice. Too soon when Kunimi later contacted his captain that he might have to skip the practice at the time because his supervisor insisted him to come along. Too soon when Kunimi set his feet inside the office and eventually could feel his heart stopped for split second then thumping vigorously right after as his supervisor suggested him to quit volleyball club for broadening his opportunity of long-term career prospect. Too soon when Kunimi actually bought the ideal reality his supervisor poetically described after it came to his knowing that one of the well-established private banks around the area is actually eyeing on him to be their potential future employee. Too soon when Kunimi said, _“Yes.”  
_

Thankfully, soon after Kunimi agreed with the term he went on pleading his supervisor to let him play at least until the end of his second year. And his supervisor, albeit visibly dissatisfied with Kunimi stalling his volleyball membership until the second semester, agreed. 

Kunimi brought the news to Kindaichi a week after the conversation took place. Kindaichi, of course, mocked him as much as he also did comfort him. _“I understand that you are afraid of the absolute uncertainty the future holds, but giving up volleyball when your rhythm in the game has been constantly rising ever since you enrolled in Seijoh? And here I thought you were the smart one.”_ , Kindaichi had told him, to which Kunimi simply retaliated with a heads-up that under no circumstances is he to give a hand to Kindaichi if he finds him cries in pinch over job-seeking crisis later.

(Now jokes are _completely_ on him, because not only Kindaichi is playing in V.League division 2 team, the guy has also secured a position as an electrician in fairly-established services agency in the region. Yes, double jobs and no volleyball sacrifices over the university. Kunimi refused to interact with him for 2 whole weeks out of pettiness and envy.)

As much as Kunimi wants nothing but to get back to his room and have his rather neat get-up changed into a casual and homey one, the sight of people destressing themselves in the city park he is currently passing by seems to entice him enough to actually enter it and maybe relaxing down in one of its benches shielded under the shadow of trees towering above them. Allowing himself to wallow in the realisation that he is in the middle of adulting — which turns out still kind of fazes him in a way that it twists his stomach in constant fret — within the halcyon atmosphere emitted from the park is the most bare minimum reward he could satisfy himself with at least for now.

Without hesitation, Kunimi halts his straightened pace and instead altered it to where the park main gate is located, especially when he realised that once he is home his parents would start bombarding him with interrogative questions regarding his future work.

It doesn’t take long for Kunimi to consider his last minute change of plan as wise, not when he is greeted by zephyr brushing his strands of soft raven hair which he quickly tucks behind his ears. Kunimi observes the surroundings as he paces up his feet towards one empty and shrouded bench sitting under couple of Elm trees squeezing it in between the space and quickly claim the spot with exhale of relaxed breath. He doesn’t take much to consider before leaning his back on to the headrest, two arms sprawling on top of it and face looking above at the scattered streak of light coming from the leaves above him, before setting it back ahead to scan the constant changes of earthling scenery before his eyes.

About five minutes have passed him by, he thinks, and in span of those minutes Kunimi has witnessed a couple jogging romantically in even pace on the pathway that isn’t too far from where his bench is. Then followed by group of high school students running around excitedly in what Kunimi perceives as an impromptu tag game. _Ah, additional classes? That sure brings back memories,_ Kunimi uttered the comment internally with the ends of his lips twitching up into a smile. Coming from the side of where the high school students are running towards, is a group of women in their mid-40s lining up neatly and racewalking while still keeping the conversation amongst them in-tact.

Kunimi softly sighs and is pleased with the new alternative way of destressing himself. Who would have ever thought that sitting on solid bench could actually be comforting? Witnessing and idly studying various kinds of people passing him by could be modest training for his analytical ability? Seeing strangers who happen to resemble the individuals he knows could be satisfying? For example the tall and rather bulky guy coming from the right side of the pathway that looks like his blast from the past that is Kageyama Tobio.

Except, as the guy is running closer and about to pass by the bench Kunimi is currently sitting on, it _is_ Kageyama Tobio. Worse yet? Kageyama noticed the transfixed stare directed at him and decided to look at the source, and it caused him to gradually slow down his pace and is eventually ceased at the sight of Kunimi already looking up at him.

“Kunimi?” Kageyama breathes out as he takes out his earphones and immediately shoved them into his pocket, which doesn’t look good to Kunimi at all, because _doesn’t that mean he actually wants to talk?_

Kunimi doesn’t respond with any words, but an awkward single handwave with equally unsettling smile, _fuck_. The tranquil atmosphere that Kunimi experienced seconds ago suddenly got eaten away and is replaced with one that made his nerve-wrecking thesis defence seems bearable compared to _now_.

“Would you mind if I, uh?” Kunimi’s brain goes on full 120km/h when he notices that Kageyama is actually pointing at the empty spot beside him, with tone and gesture which indicate permission request to him and whether or not he will allow Kageyama to perch on within such proximity from him.

Does Kunimi have any valid reason to just shrug him off and leave the scene without looking like some contemptous brat regardless of him already reaching early 20s? _Nah_ , so Kunimi shrugs his shoulder and pats the empty spot next to him as a green light for Kageyama.

Quietude and cognitive dissonance fuse altogether as soon as Kunimi could feel weighted bench, shuddered breath, and screeched soles next to him. He wishes Kageyama would once again be kind enough to break the silence and engage with him in a proper conversation, but knowing that Kageyama had already be the one to initiate it yet in turn received a rather half-assed response from him, Kunimi understands that it’s him that has to carry on this time around.

“You are working hard. You got home game next week, right?” Kunimi asks, and he would pretty much like to stop the time and leave the scene immediately, because, _why the fuck would you give away the fact that you are keeping tracks of his match, you fool?_

However, as much as Kunimi wants to cringe away after asking the hasty question, the urge just suddenly dissipates when he notices the apparent glint lighting up in Kageyama’s eyes. Looking at the unexpected reception, Kunimi finds it fascinating enough that he ends up tilting his head with eyes carefully sussing out Kageyama as if he is some kind of discovery.

(Though, in Kunimi’s defence, such conspicuously delighted reaction, amidst only given away by the glint within the pair of eyes, is certainly a discovery to him embodied as Kageyama Tobio)

Kageyama nods then clears his throat out of... _nervousness?_ Kunimi doesn’t want to assume, but the way he has clearly averted his gaze away then have his fingers idly fumbling with the sleeve of his compression shirt just does nothing but favouring his suspicion, yet Kunimi decides to just remain silent until Kageyama counters the question.

“Yeah, against MSBY Black Jackals,” Kageyama starts, then one of his hand moves up to rub the back of his neck with eyes still looking away from Kunimi. _He is definitely nervous._ “You— uh, are you coming?” And Kunimi swore he almost jolted out of the bench when Kageyama asked the question away with his lips slightly puckered and faint yet identifiable blush starts spreading over his cheeks, thanks to the sweat gleaming the rose.

 _This is interesting_. Kunimi is trying his best not to snort, let alone burst out laughing over the missing equanimity from Kageyama that has always been the uniform front from the professional setter.

“Kindaichi has actually secured a ticket for me, so let’s see.” He replies in relaxing and coy manner which doesn’t strongly affirm the certainty of his attendance. Hoping that it will hang around Kageyama’s head until the match starts then ended.

Kageyama flashes a rather fiddly smile, which really doesn’t surprise Kunimi. What _does_ is actually the fact that Kageyama has taken no intention to fold their conversation and excuse himself to part ways. Instead, Kunimi finds the setter to be relaxing and taking his time resting the jolted muscles in his body and letting the breeze dry out his sweat-drenched shirt. Having the pride which towers the skyscraper himself, Kunimi refuses to give away the shrouded bench, so he also remains seated and seemingly unbothered.

“I’m sorry.” Kageyama’s apology wafts through the air like unwanted Autumn breeze halting up his pace, except it’s his lungs this time, then his ability to mull over the logic in his head that Kunimi doesn’t even realise he has let out a loud, _“Huh?!”_ to Kageyama sitting beside him — the latter only chuckles in amusement, and it’s the most genuine Kunimi has ever seen he doesn’t let the chance slip to immortalise the sight under his conscience.

“During our first official match against Seijoh,” Kunimi listens, but finding his mind stumble and stuck at the word _‘our’_ because Kageyama really is no longer a renegade waging the war alone in eventual self-destructive upshot, and instead has fallen in along with the troops. “Do you know the first thing that went around my head as I witnessed our defeat?” Kageyama prompted the question.

Kunimi blinks once, then his eyes just immediately start holing the deep blue before him and how much the pair still left him wondering if he has cracked at least quarter of seemingly ceaseless series of enigma personified as Kageyama Tobio. “That you had miscalculated? _Badly_ , if I may be brash just this once?” Kunimi attempted to humour the situation, but soon after internally cringes upon noticing the way his tone came out as teasing instead of condescending.

Kageyama chuckles again, mildly shaking his head this time, but his pair of Pacific eyes have teared away from Kunimi and instead observing the paltry congested park in front of him. “I thought, _‘This is the first time I’ve ever seen Kunimi smiled so brightly after a match in three years of middle school I had been his teammate.’_ along with unexplainable pang in my chest.” Kageyama whispers, sounding almost like he wants Kunimi _and_ Kunimi alone to hear it. “Oh, I know it’s not like I have _any_ recollection of Kindaichi ever smiled after the match let alone _at me_ throughout middle school after I had distressed him with series of my heinous tosses.” Kageyama grins, then he breathes in and out to regain his initial composure. “But it just doesn’t bother me as much as when I saw you smiled _at last_ and _for once_ , and I didn’t even know why.” He joins his palms in front of his nose with fingertips touching one another. His eyes are already moving aside to steal glance at Kunimi in such qualm that isn’t very Kageyama Tobio, at least to Kunimi. “Now _that_ what bothers me. It still does.” His voice is slightly muffled with his mouth covered under the palms, but Kunimi still could catch the hitch and dread as the words were uttered.

_Ah._

Suddenly everything under Kunimi’s comprehension aligns with several premises he has had for a while inside his head. It shouldn’t be surprising, _it really shouldn’t,_ because apart from the fact that he truly was delighted to have played in a volleyball team that did put emphasis on teamwork after the contrary of enervating three years he spent in middle school under the dominance and tyrannical King of The Court, Kunimi finally found the sport to be fulfilling and rewarding. However, hidden away under collective rapture he experienced back then, Kunimi _did_ make sure to have his smile displayed as clear as the day in the sight of Kageyama regardless of the net separating their figures at the time.

Yes, 1st-year Kunimi Akira of Seijoh volleyball club had meticulously schemed subtle way to knock some senses on to Kageyama Tobio that silently stated he was _free_ — shattering the judgment of middle schooler Kageyama consistently remarked him as ‘laid-back’ and ‘weak-willed’ when it came to volleyball, which was _solely_ because Kageyama was, unabashedly, a jerk.

Truthfully his intention was a revenge, and he had anticipated that there _might_ come a day where much older and wiser Kageyama reached out to him and expressed how naïve and self-centred he was back then. And that alone was enough since Kunimi _never_ expected an apology, but simply a mere realisation of where Kageyama went wrong and how that caused Kunimi to display such smile after they separated. And he got that already and collectively over the reunion that they had attended months ago.

But _this_ , is not the extensive outcome of scenario he had anticipated. It’s gliding away from his course of possibilities, and Kunimi does not know how to respond in a way that refrain him from looking dumbfounded and gradually losing all composure. However, no matter how Kunimi wants Kageyama to keep going until he can find something to say in return, Kunimi realises that Kageyama is waiting for him to respond, maybe even _answer_ , but he himself never foresaw this occurrence.

So he decided to reply the question with another question, “And _why_ do you think is that?”

Kageyama takes a peek at Kunimi again, then exhales soft sigh before releasing the palms covering his mouth and nose as he leans in to the bench. He hums for a while, trying to weigh the right words to response the question with because he himself doesn’t quite understand as to _exactly_ why, though he has kept aside one particular thought that he _thinks_ he can include in his answer albeit the hesitance of actually saying it out loud.

After a while, Kageyama is suddenly struck with realisation that he has to utter out nothing but _that_ thought. Aside from how he simply is unable to think of any other answer, that thought is actually the one that he has wondered over and over again every time his mind plays the scene of Kunimi smiling as he was huddled into the Seijoh victorious group hug. He starts to snicker before completely turning his head towards Kunimi again whom turned out has long fixated his gaze on him, and suddenly Kageyama doesn’t feel the need to remain tense for everything instantly feels so light and right, especially the words hanging on the tip of his tongue.

“I believe it’s because I _really_ want to see you smile like _that_ after receiving my toss, and eventually winning our game _together_ as a team.” Kageyama _beams_ at Kunimi, and suddenly not only his deep blue eyes but the entirety of the skin and flesh that makes Kageyama Tobio crashes Kunimi like sudden thunder separating the skies; unforeseen waves violently crashing the shore and washing away all the imprinted footsteps on the sand. “If I were to add my bratty ego into the equation, it would be great if we could play as a team in two-on-two.” _Ah_ , there it goes Kageyama’s signature pout when he said something that actually also embarrasses him.

It was silence for more or less couple of minutes. Complete utter silence at least for the both of them regardless of how people come passing by the bench they are currently sitting at. Until Kunimi breaks it with a snort, and then he _laughs_. In bare, genuine, and unconstrained manner. Kageyama can feel his breath hitched, chest tightened, and pulse quickened having such sight presented before him immediately _right_ after stating it is something he craves of seeing, and it even looks _way_ better than what he had witnessed over Seijoh’s victory and the one he has played in his head in the course of years the thought has been roaming around his imagination.

Kunimi, on the other hand, is very much entertained by the twist of event caused by his very own plan. Revenge is his certain purpose, but having it turned out to be something that makes Kageyama itches to see him _smile once again_ and _with him_ this time around, was definitely never part of his intention. The way he has unknowingly made himself owe Kageyama _something_ that never in million years he expected to be his jubilant expression — his _very smile, for heaven’s sake_ , amuses him to the very core.

So he continues to laugh. Happily, lightly, _contently._

Kageyama can feel the sun is slowly returning back after being momentarily coasted over the clouds, and little by little warmth is creeping up all over his body. But the thing is, Kageyama fails to register whether the sudden yet subtle rise of his body temperature along with bead of sweats pooling over the creases in his forehead are due to the sun above him _or_ the still lively laughing Kunimi before him.

“Oh, before I forget,” Kunimi interrupts his own laugh, albeit evidently still struggling to compose the tremble in his voice and strained lines on his face along with watered eyes. “I guess I will be going to your match next week, so you better win it!” He then throws a light punch towards Kageyama’s chest and earned himself a faint yelp from the athlete. Kunimi chuckles again and Kageyama still has hard time keeping his composure level.

“I will be waiting.” Is all Kageyama says with a smile he doesn’t know the look of, but is pleased to have Kunimi caught off guard momentarily as he ducks his head down and clears his throat off. Seemingly out of astonishment and fluster, which this time makes Kageyama the one chuckling.

Suddenly, Kunimi hums loud enough it makes Kageyama completely stopped snickering and starts looking his way instead. From his peripheral, Kunimi can absolutely tell that Kageyama has gone far less tense than he was before, or maybe has never been as tense as the Kageyama from middle school would be ever since the very beginning he attempted to start conversation. _He really isn’t the Kageyama Tobio he knew back in middle school_ , Kunimi does double consideration with having the sight of Kageyama apologising over the reunion replayed over his head then followed after with his shy yet sincere _wish_ to see Kunimi smile because of the ball he toss in a game they play together. Kunimi smiles again, softly and quietly to himself.

“Say, are you done with your exercise?” Kunimi asks, and he is astonished by how light and easy the question lolled out than he first anticipated it to. He seems to find it difficult to fight back the twitched up edges of his lips, because _who would’ve thought?_

“Yeah, are you planning to take me somewhere?” Kageyama counters expectantly with gleam that is still present in his pair of dark blue eyes which makes them appear more captivating. Kunimi doesn’t answer verbally and instead just nods somewhat excitedly as he is the first to rise from the bench with body facing Kageyama.

“Shouldn’t you be delighted? I am taking you out on a _date_ before your home game!” Kunimi beams with unflinching guarantee as he extends one of his arm for Kageyama to take, while the latter is in the middle of trying to register everything as realisation creeps in that he still lost even many years after their first official match.

But either way, Kageyama is elated because Kunimi owed him back with not only his smile but _also_ laugh. Ones that are both directed to him on top of everything, so he sighs in defeat and takes Kunimi’s hand by his own. _At last_.

**Author's Note:**

> I might have more or less projected my final year experience on to the Kunimi in this fic, lol. 
> 
> Anyway, thank you and I really hope I delivered it well! Find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/lftovramericano) :)


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